Jakester

My confession is I like dead strings. Properly played in nickels really float my boat, both in terms of sound and feel. That said, I just acquired a bass which has very played in strings, perhaps too much even for me. So I’m after recommendations for strings that don’t sound too bright from new. My go-to strings are Lo-Rider nickels, but having just put a set on another bass even those sounded too bright. Would Sunbeams be better? I don’t really like flats - the feel and tension are too much for me. Any recommendations?

Just bought a Yamaha bass from Harry - he was an absolute pleasure to deal with, very honest and open about possible issues (which weren’t for me) and there was even a choice of High quality rigs to play through!

I’ve done it on a (cheap!) fretted I converted. Fairly easy if you have a drill press. I bodged it with a hand drill and it all went a bit Pete Tong but nothing someone who knows what they’re doing couldn't sort. Just drill out the existing and fill (I used fines from reprofiling the board) and then drill new marker holes and glue in the plastic rod, and trim when dry. For an easy win, colour over the side dots with a black sharpie (assuming a rosewood/ebony neck) and stick on white dots on the fret lines. Or, mask off each side of the fret line and dab some tippex/white paint on to extend the fret line down the side of the neck.

I love gigging, it’s everything else that can be interminable! The endless rehearsing where the singer flaps about with printed sheets without ever learning the words, the half-hour pause where the guitards teach each other which part to play; lugging gear in and out of rehearsal rooms in pouring rain, the million texts/emails/WhatsApps about exactly what time we’re on, where it is, what we’re all wearing (for the tenth time). I do love it, though.

Love the sound of the old SWR combos - played through a WM and a Redhead on many an occasion and they were loud enough. Only concern might be weight - I seem to remember they were definitely old school when it came to construction. <edit> Sorry, that was purely electric, not DB, no DB experience.

I had this after a couple of hours of rehearsal on Saturday - I was alternating between bass guitar and EUB (which I’m still really getting the hang of) and we went into an uptempo Latin number and the first two fingers of my fretting hand on electric just locked into a claw, and nothing I could do would make them move properly. Managed to play root notes for most of it and it sort of relented. I think it was down to the fact it was probably the longest I’ve played EUB and I hadn’t stretched or really warmed up beforehand at all.

Battery in bass?

Glad that he’s rejoined, but not sure it’ll make much difference for me now. I loved their early stuff with Hillel and Jack Irons/Cliff Martinez - the Rollins-esque almost hardcore stuff morphing into the funkier UMPP and then into MM. BSSM remains their apotheosis for me - I basically learnt how to play music from that album - but I also liked One Hot Minute, and saw them on that tour. For me, Californication lost some of the swagger and funk and became far more melodic and introspective and its been that way since. I like some of the tunes off that and BTW, but Stadium Arcadium felt instantly forgettable to me (not sure I could name many tracks off it) and the transition to the ‘chugging verse, long note chorus’ stuff all felt really repetitive. I sort of feel they’re not the same band as they were - their career is one of two halves and I prefer the first. MHO of course.

Sounds eminently sensible, well done.

It depends. If it’s a long standing band I’ve just explained it’s not for me any more and agreed a way forward, be that help auction a replacement or do the last gigs etc. Recently however in one early band I explained I wasn’t enjoying etc and then received an email that evening telling me I’d been fired. Another one was the keys player in a trio just emailing to say he didn’t want to do it any more. My view is you should always look to leave on good terms, but if that’s not possible, just do what’s best for you, even if it’s walking immediately away.

What level is your daughter at? I only ask because in my view a poor electronic kit is as likely to put someone off playing drums than it is help them develop - much in the same way as a poorly set up bargain basement bass might. If she’s an absolute beginner, then a cheapo kit might be okay for her to learn the very basics on, but if she’s anything beyond that, it might just prove frustrating. I echo the second hand comment above but IMV you may struggle to get anything remotely decent for your budget, even second hand. Sorry.

Thanks - even better.

Excellent, thank you.

Hi all, I’ve seen conflicting reports on this online, so looking a definite ‘yes’ or ‘no’ if possible. Do the various iterations of the Helix (Helicies?) allow for two inputs? I know some of them have a stereo input, but could this be used as two mono inputs, say for fretted and fretless or bass and EUB?

Could it be a Overwater by Tanglewood?

Procured a Markbass cab off Gareth and he was a delight to deal with - responsive, helpful and even offered to brave a notorious dogging spot to meet up - eventually the cab had to be posted and it was really well packed and sent via a reputable courier. 11/10.

I was playing yesterday afternoon/evening in the local shopping centre with the orchestra I play with - playing Christmas tunes and more uptempo stuff. Owing to the way we were set up, I was out on the left wing and so open to the tender mercies of punters as they ran for shop to shop. First was a lady with what looked like a mummified corpse in a wheelchair, but turned out to be her elderly chain smoking mother. “Do you have a drummer?” She asked. “Only, I play the drums.” “Yes,” I replied, gesturing to the actual drummer sat behind his kit, as well as the full section of percussionists. “Oh,” she said - “I can sing as well.” Rapidly changing tack (having realised her dreams of stardom were fading), she asked “what make of bass is that?”, and then answered herself, most unexpectedly - “ah, its a Warwick Streamer. Nice. I’ve got one of those.” She then took her mum off for a wheel, leaving me nonplussed. Second was the little old lady who came up mid-tune, rapped her watch, and asked if we were going to be much longer? Finally, an honourable mention to the chap who let his labrador off it’s lead to run into the orchestra as we were playing, nearly knocking me over, as “it just wanted to see what was going on...”

Both of those are on repeat round here! These are pretty good too: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Present-Motown-1/dp/B00005Q8UC/ref=asc_df_B00005Q8UC/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310739891430&hvpos=1o7&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10804467138392042632&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006567&hvtargid=pla-774051453992&psc=1

I had a problem with TNT via interparcel - late to collect, then after repeated chases, refused to deliver, citing the fact they didn’t have a depot in the area. When I pointed out their depot was less than half a mile for the recipient’s address, they cancelled the order and sent the item back to me. Morons.

And it appears they go down to 2 ohms...

Oh dear, sorry to hear it’s been a rough time Nick - hope all is now well with you though.

MSL are the distributor and their recommended service agent is Real Electronics in Sheffield: https://mslpro.co.uk/customer-support/